Karen Mahoney ( a.k.a. Official Honorary Book Smuggler) is a Young Adult writer whose first story, Falling to Ash has been published in The Eternal Kiss Anthology (reviewed today by Ana) . She is also one of the Deadline Dames and can be found writing about writing, reading and other cool stuff in her livejournal. When we were organising the YA month ,we just knew we would invite her over.
We are more than happy to give the floor to Karen Mahoney and her post on writing YA.
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Eternal Teenagers
I write YA fiction because every time I sit down to write something, my characters turn out to be 17 or 18. Apparently, this means I write YA. 
I think I’m drawn to these ages because this is when a lot happened in my own life, and those experiences always seem more important and powerful when you’re going through all the inevitable changes that the teenage years bring. All those ‘first times’ that we go through… It makes for wonderful drama and conflict in fiction. The potential for emotional writing is huge, and I love writing big emotional scenes. I remember how brave I could be at 17 – there’s a fearless quality to being a teenager that I wish I could get back.
I used to work with older teens, as a student advisor, and I learned so much during that time. I think it was then that I realised I wanted to focus on the teenage years in my fiction. Now that I’m writing YA urban/contemporary fantasy, I can allow my imagination to soar while still grounding myself in the very real issues of what it’s like to be growing up in today’s society. To think that I’m writing books and stories that might one day be read by young adults who experience things so passionately… that just blows me away!
My story in THE ETERNAL KISS, ‘Falling to Ash’, is about an 18-year-old vampire called Moth. She was Turned into a vamp over a decade ago, so she’s really a 28-year-old woman stuck in the body of a teenager. I love thinking about all the questions and issues that raises: imagine being trapped as a teenager for eternity… How would you change and grow? Would you develop as a regular human being should do, or would you always be just a little immature? (Moth can be quite immature and impetuous, but at the same time the wisdom of her years shows through when she needs it.) How would it feel to see ‘real’ teenagers enjoying life, while you just continue on the way you’ve always been? Never growing physically older, but perhaps feeling the weight of years as each one passes. Imagine how it would affect your family and friends. What would you tell them? Would you tell them? All these things I’ve explored with Moth, and packing it into 32 pages wasn’t easy! Luckily, I’ve now written a novel about her (BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS) which I hope will be picked up by a publisher one day. Watch this space… 
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In her varied career Karen Mahoney has been a professional Tarot reader, a college counsellor, a dating agency consultant and a bookseller. Ever since she was six years old what she really wanted to be was Wonder Woman, but has instead settled for being a writer which she thinks is the most fun you can have without bulletproof bracelets.
Her YA contemporary fantasy, THE IRON WITCH (Book 1 of The Ironbridge Chronicles), is currently on submission in the US. Among other work she has recently completed a companion novel, BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS, which is set in the same world but completely stands alone. It continues the adventures of Moth, the teenage vampire who was introduced to readers in her recently published short story, ‘Falling to Ash’.
A huge thank you to Karen for the great post.
Now for the giveaway:
Karen is generously offering a signed copy of The Eternal Kiss to one lucky reader! The contest is open to anyone, and will run until Saturday August 1st 11:59pm (PST). To enter, simply leave a comment here. Good luck!
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89 Responses to Young Adult Appreciation Month: Karen Mahoney on writing Young Adult Novels (and a giveaway)
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Just wanted to say again, thanks for having me! You rock!! But you know that anyway, right?
If anyone has any questions about writing or… I dunno… life (!), I’ll pop back in and answer them later on.
Cheers,
Kaz
Moth – what a great name! The premise sounds really intriguing as well
Sounds like an awesome story! Moth is a really interesting name too. I’m a fan of just about anything with vampires, so I’d love to read it
*Waves at Karen* I stalk you on twitter too – would love to win this. Congrats on the book!
What a great premise for the story. I think I’d tend to be a bit immature as well if I were Moth. Of course, I’m rather immature as it is now!
Hi
CONGRATULATIONS to you, Karen for your debut story FALLING TO ASH in this amazing novel!
I am so looking forward to reading this book.
So many talented writers!
Thanks for having Karen here.
And thank you Karen for the great contest.
Love and best wishes
twitter.com/RKCharron
xoxo
Kaz! Your story sounds awesome, and I can’t wait to read it.
Thanks for the giveaway! A tarot card reader…really? I think I like her already!
Please count me in.
cindyc725 at gmail dot com
Congrats on the release. It looks like a fantastic collection.
Oh I am in. The series sounds great and I just love that cover. Stunning.
I want in! Thanks for sharing~
If I don’t win then I will definitely be ordering a copy. Was a little uncertain but the review earlier persuaded me to give it a try.
- Neil.
Karen I’m 30 something & although I usually read more adult oriented stories-the description of your YA books; makes me want to read YA.The cover for Eternal Kiss is IMO breathtaking! Good luck with Iron Witch & Beautiful Ghosts. Happy Writing!
Count me in. The book sounds very interesting. If I don’t win it, I’ll have to order it.
Count me in!
Wow, everyone is being so lovely! *waves to the lovely people*
Thanks for all the great comments.
Kaz
A signed version contest that’s so easy to enter? I’m in.
I have the book so don’t count me in, but I wanted to say it was nice seeing a profile of Karen and I hope the novel-length work of Moth sees print real soon as I quite liked the character in the short story. Publishers pay attention. We want this book!
Dude. Moth is my name. (;P)
I’m in.
This book is on my WL and I would love to read it!
HI there! This anthology, and especially Karen’s contribution to it, sounds great! I’m always intrigued by the particular problems of vampires who are young enough (new enough?) to be within their own mortal lifetime, and the problems that their lack of aging would present.
Congrats on your story!! I would love to win this!!
Please count me in to win, sounds like a good book.
wpould love to read this!!!!!!!!!!
Now if I was stuck in a body of a thirteen year old I would be a bit upset because I would have no chest. And the acne! Unless vampires don’t get acne? Now that I think of it, they never mention if teen vampires can get acne.
This sounds like a totally awesome read. I’d love to win a copy
Sounds awesome! Sign me up
k8_a_723(at)hotmail(dot)com
This looks really amazing. I would love to read it. Please enter me in the contest.
Kate
neverendingshelf@gmail.com
http://neverendingshelf.blogspot.com
Heh, my interest in reading YA stories probably stemmed from having worked with that age group. Reminded me of how to see things from their perspective. Congrats on the release!
Congratulations again Karen! The Eternal Kiss sounds AMAZING! I can’t wait to read it…possibly my very own signed copy of it? Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?
Until some of my all-time favorite authors began writing YA, I hadn’t much in that genre. When I read a few of the YA novels, I was surprised at how much I like them, how suspenseful they were and relieved that some with “romance” was light enough to not clutter up the plot. (sometimes that happens in adult books) So now I am looking into more YA, especially Karen Mahoney’s. My question is this;
You mentioned wanting to be Wonder Woman when you were growing up. (Iused to pretend I was Catwoman) Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge recently wrote a superhero novel- and it was very good. Is it possible that you might combine your dream of being Wonder Woman with your need to write and end up with a YA superhero book?
I’m pretty sure that we are going to see more urban fantasy superhero based books, a whole new(ish) direction for writers to go in.
I really want to read this book!
Karen – all the best for the release of Falling to Ash! It sounds very interesting.
I love reading YA, particularly books that deal with all that teenagers have to go through since I kind of skipped all that. I was one of those ‘toe the line’ teenagers and all that emotional angst that teenagers work through as they figure out who they are I’m working through now
But better late than never 
Oh, and all the best with The Iron Witch and Beautiful Ghosts
signed, you say….?
sign me up, please!
Hi Karen and Ana!
Eternal Kiss looks and sounds great! It’s on my TBR list.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Dottie
Wow! Count me in. Fabulous post yesterday BTW
You guys rock!!
Hi, please enter me. The cover is lovely. The h has such pale skin and scarlet lips.
Count me in. Very excited for this book.
Sounds great! So many great authors! Please enter me.
Sounds fun! Please enter me in!
What a brilliant idea for a story, I feel like a teen at times, dont look like one is the problem!!!
Thanks for the opportunity to win
I’m 28 and I would love to be stuck with my body when I was 18. Sign me up for that!
I think I’m drawn to writing YA for 14-16 year olds cos that’s the age I was when I was ransacking the library for some good YA! Plus all the memories, too. It’s cathartic writing to/about your younger self.
Hey Doug (SciFiGuy), thanks for the kind words!
*prays that the publishers are listening*
Moth: LOL!! Sorry about that. Hopefully there’s room for another Moth in the world?
Cheers,
Kaz
Mardel: Hi! Well, I grew up on superheroes and bought my first comic when I was 6 or 7 years old. Collected both Marvel and DC for many years (though I only read graphic novels & collections now). I’d LOVE to write a superhero book one day. I *have* written something that is superhero-inspired, though it’s not actually the same thing. That one’s a little more adult though.
Jackie & Caitlin’s book is AWESOME! Another great YA superhero novel is by Sarah Cross (Dull Boy). Excellent stuff!
Cheers,
Kaz
Orianna, thanks for the good wishes. And yeah, it’s never too late for angst (teen or otherwise).
Hi Karen! I love superheroes, too, and am loving all the superhero movies that are out. What’s your favourite?
Moth and her story looks good!
I hope you find your publisher.
My favourite superhero movie is actually the original Superman film. But then, I am old…
I also love the first X-Men film and Spider-Man 2.
One day I really hope to see a Wonder Woman movie – I’d be in geek heaven!
Cheers,
Kaz